This invention relates generally to managing compliance assurance and, more particularly, to network-based methods and systems for managing compliance assurance information.
Compliance assurance (CA) information includes information relating to a business entity's compliance with applicable laws and regulations and/or internal business standards and policies. These laws and regulations and/or internal business standards and policies typically relate to areas such as the environment, health and safety, quality, legal, human resources, and corporate compliance. In at least some known cases, in order for a business entity to comply with applicable laws and regulations and/or internal business standards and policies, a particular facility within the business entity must perform certain CA tasks, including audits, within a specified period of time and submit a report or other documentation to an agency or a manager within the business entity. Many of these CA tasks must be performed on a routine basis at the facility.
Likewise, other facilities within the business entity might also have to perform and report identical, similar, or different CA tasks. In addition, if a facility is found to be in non-compliance, the facility might be required to take certain action to become compliant and might have to submit documentation showing its compliance. For business entities having numerous employees located in multiple divisions worldwide, managing CA information, which might include scheduling the CA tasks to be performed at each facility, reminding an assigned contact person at each facility of the upcoming CA tasks to be performed, confirming that the required CA tasks have been performed in a timely manner at each facility, properly documenting the CA tasks performed at each facility, and confirming that each facility within the business entity is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and/or internal business standards and policies, is a major challenge. Failure to properly schedule, perform, and report the CA tasks, including audits, can result in delayed system operations, extended or additional maintenance, increased costs, and, in some cases, civil and/or criminal penalties.